Practising language skills in the real world

Second year language classes on trips to Germany, France and Spain

Shortly before easter the second year STX students went to resespectively Berlin, Paris and Malaga to practice their German, French or Spanish among native speakers and to experience the local cultures.

Victor Lemkow, Ajsha Zubcevic and Iman Almohamad explain that the programmes included activities of approaching locals and ask them for information or opinions. – We visited a market in Paris and inquired in French about prices and asked about foods that we didn’t know. It was obvious that our French was not very advanced, but people were friendly, Ajsha explains. She also noticed when in other situations approaching a Frenchman in English caused some of them to be puzzled. So being able to speak a minimum of French in France seems to be handy.

Victor explains that in Berlin interviewing interviewing residents at an old people’s home was a great experience. – We asked them questions about the years with the Berlin Wall and about life at the home. I interviewed Ingrid and Manfred who were supernice and very charming. We also played bingo with them. Manfred’s brother used to live in East Berlin and it had been difficult to visit him, Victor recalls. – We also did an exercise in the streets where we asked people what they thougt typical for Germans. I found it a bit beyond my comfort zone, but it went alright.

The students with Spanish as one of their acquired languages were hosted in private homes in Malaga and went to Spanish lessons at a local language school four hours every day. The teachers were of course native speakers and spoke Spanish all the time. Iman explains that in her host family no one spoke any English, så she was forced to do her best in Spanish. – I also found it a bit challenging that on the first morning we had to find our way to the school on our own, she says.

The students in the German, French and Spanish classes at Grenaa Gymnasium do not necessarily know each other very well, because it is the only subject they attend together. Victor, Ajsha and Iman all agree that trips like this, even if they are for less than a week, strengthen the class community. – I found myself chatting with class mates that I did not expect, Ajsha says and Iman says she has the same experience – Now that we are back home again it feels natural to continue.

Victor explains that in his German class they already had a great time together before the trip. – I feel that we’re even better together now.

Ajsha, Iman and Victor conclude that the language study trips were a great experience. – I got to see all the places that we had learned about before the trip. That was the best part of it, Iman says and adds: And the weather was great! Ajsha says, that she enjoyed the most that they got to do a lot on their own. – I went to the Eiffel Tower together with a couple of class mates. We took the stairs all the way, and it swayed because it was so windy! One of Victor’s favorite memories was visiting the Neuengamme concentration camp. – The guide’s grandfather had been a prisoner there, so that made it extra interesting.